Ascension of the Spirit
by HellHoundess
Summary: Two lost souls wondering in the dark are drawn together by unknown forces. Though for good or for evil?
1. Darkness

**Ascension of the Spirit.**

Part 1

By Hellhoundess

Dedicated to EchidnaHazard, AKA Theo

The darkness and silence were brothers, born of the same deranged parent that had locked him in solitude, in a creaking shack like a large coffin. Yes, a coffin. he had been buried alive. Sweat crept from his hairline as he presisted the urge to scramble for the moth eaten curtains and jerk them away to make sure dirt and wriggling earthworms were not preessed against the cracked windows struggling to get in...

He traced a finger tip over the razor sharp edge of one knife, dimly aware if the pain. pain was good. It grounded him thinnly to this reality, which, despite how revolting it was, must surely be better than the alternate world he was spiraling towards. The one the voices whispered about. Yet he knew he was slowly being dragged like a hysterical child, kicking and screaming, digging his nails into the floor in a futile attempt to anchor himself until they broke off at the quick. The decent into further darkness was inevitable.

Leaning back his head bumped against one wall as he shut his eyes then openned them a moment later when he turned to meet the lifeless gaze of a petite blond. She was...that is to say had been...in her mid-twenties or so but then he was a poor judge of age and currently affixed as she was to the wall by way of a barbacue tong driven through her neck her age was of little concern.par

Silence hadn't been as issue when she was alive. Infact she had created an almost unbelievable ruckus with her blubbering half unintelligible pleas for mercy mixed with a good portion of shrieks, earsplitting sounds so harsh and raw that the men she'd practiced her breathy seductive coos on would have never believed it her to be the same woman. But then that's all they were, all of them, liars, deceivers, fools so disgusted with life and even with themselves that they didn't realize it.

Pitiful really. However his pity of their lack of enlightenment did little to ease the desire to cut them all to bits and hack them to pieces. He twitched uneasily. Even the doughboys, usually so full of suggestions, seemed absent tonight. He glanced at the corpse again half expectantly, wishing her slack mouth would issue forth some sort of sound even if it was just to curse him again. Suddenly he decide he couldn't stand, couldn't bare a moment more of the quiet. It was far from peaceful. It was...anxious, anticipant, crackling with nervous energy as if fortelling something important would happen tonight. But what could that be?

Shaking the feeling off he got to his feet, the loose floorboards creaking under his tall black boots. Even that was an inprovement. Feeling somewhat better he stuffed his hands in the pockets of his pants and strolled out. It had rained recently, the dampness still hanging in the late October air. As he passed a puddle his dark eyes were drawn to the stagnant pool of water. Haggard face, sunken eyes, death pale skin. At least his unruly raven hair had finally grown back. He didn't consider it much of an improvement really, it was only decoration on what he viewed to be a hollow, tormented shell. Yet like always he was tempted to kneel, to try and touch the other him on the opposite side of the reflection. His long thin fingers broke the surface in a choas of ripples and he sighed. He was truely alone as always...


	2. Brain Freezy Frantic

Ascension of the Spirit.

Part 2

By Hellhoundess

The familiar glow of the 24-7 Mart greeted him as he trudged down the sidewalk and pushed the door open, greeted by harsh lighting and a shrill little bell-like imitation given off by the motion sensors. This week's new cashier was preoccupied with another customer so he made his way back to the back of the store and loaded up with fudge-pops, a quart of milk, and some chips before passing the Brainfreezy machine with a longing look. Sadly despite his various (and often _bloody_ complaints) they still shut the machine down at 2AM, a decidedly inconvient hour for an insomniac.

Dressed all in black, supposedly another participant in the pointless tradition of Halloween, the customer infront of him was involved in a heated discussion with the fellow running the check out. Nny made an effort never to easedrop on the convesations of others since he considered it disrespectful and was too often a recipiant of profound disrespect unless, A. The conversation was obviously a twittering mornic commentary on his own appearance and wardrobe, or B. One of the conversationslists said something so utterly stupid and narrow-minded he couldn't allow it to pass (like that dreaded _WACKY_ word. Ugh.). However, on this occasion he found he couldn't completely shut out the rising voices and caught the dark-clad figure snapping in a mask muffled voice,"No, I really don't understand! I mean it IS open 24/7 as per the name implies so why would you shut off the machines at any time? I mean do you think hunger and thirst take a break after 2AM? That no one ever gets cravings? Why do you think I even bothered to walk down here?"

"Look, man, what can I say? It's store policy, the machines go off at 2:00. So you gonna pay for those nachos or what?" The clerk asked with heavy lidded, unconcerned eyes, his mind wandering to when his shift got off.

"Well it's a lame policy, MAN," the person replied pointedly before removing the full-head covering helmet and shaking out shoulder length auburn hair, her eyes narrowed in disgust. "There's a huge banner out there advertising a new flavor, all I wanted was to try it and you refuse to even offer the curtesey of getting off your large ass and turning the Brainfreezy machine back on for just a moment..."

Recovering from his startled miscalculation of sexes the clerk stammered,"Lady, I don't have to take this.."

She made a indignant sound then to his shock suddenly whirled to Nny and without pausing demanded,"Can you believe this guy? Do you think he's being even remotely reasonable? Seriously, I'm asking him to increase his own profits and he's too lazy or too concerned about the dime or so the extra electricity might cost to plug that thing back in for a moment to do his JOB and serve the customers!"

"I..um.."Nny blinked, caught offguard by the sudden interest in his opinion which seldom, no, _never_ happened.

"Were you perhaps slightly annoyed at the ridiculous policy they're enforcing like it's a crime to want something cold and refreshing after 2:00 in the morning?" she asked without pausing for breath. He noted her pale face was getting redder with passion and frustration the longer she spoke and half wondered if he should warn her before a blood vessel popped in her forehead and spewed all over. Instead he nodded slightly, curious to see what would happen.

"See!" she crowed triumphantly, turning back to the clerk and leanning on the counter. "Now you have two customers who want a Brainfreezy. So are you going to turn the machine back on or what?"

He studied her irritably as if calculating how best to get rid of her then finally decided that giving into her demand would be quicker and require less unnecissary thought to come up with retorts and heaved himself off the stool he'd been parked on, grumbling sulkily as he stomped back and turned on the machine for them.

Lifting her chin, the polished helmet, which was vaguely skull looking to Nny, tucked under one arm she marched back with a victorious little smirk and got two extra large stroform cups. Now that he looked he could infact see that there really had been a new flavor added to the machine. Crowded in beside Frosty Peanut, Cherry Doom, and Icy Ham was now Chocolate Bubblegum with which the persistant girl was now filling one cup. She snapped the plastic lid on, then for the second time that night surprised him by turning to him with a smile and asking what flavor he wanted. After he indicated the Cherry Doom she filled the second cup and handed it to him before briskly returning to the cash register.

feeling like he was drifting in a surreal dream Nny slowly followed her, watching with unusual interest as she paid for her purchases. She sat the nachos inside her helmet then balanced the Freezy on top of them, stepping out of his way as he pulled out a battered wallet he'd taken off one of his more recent victumes only to discover two crumpled one dollar bills inside. The clerk was already glaring at him for siding with the pushy girl and he considered just killing the bastard rather than explaining he didn't have enough when a slender, black gloved hand suddenly deposited a five on the counter covering his due. He raised an eyebrow at the girl who smiled and shrugged.

The cashier snorted and shoved her change back at her while Nny gathered his groceries and they walked out. Behind them he heard the rude employee mutter something about "psychos running in packs".


End file.
